PROJECT KICKOFF
We are pleased to announce that construction on Mwivomo-Murangara has just begun. 900 people in the community including 120 members of Murangara Pentecost church will soon have access to clean water.
The water system was made possible through a generous donation from Alvin Chee in honor of his parents Bill and Dorothy Chee.
Preventable, water-borne diseases are the leading cause of death in Burundi, which has had the 12th highest child mortality rate globally. The good news is that communities with Gazelle Foundation water systems have drastically reduced, and in some cases eliminated, the presence of water-borne illnesses among the families that live in them.
WATER ACCESS PRIOR TO CLEAN WATER SYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS
Reliable, year-round access to clean water in Mugano Colline within the Matana Commune in Bururi Province (similar to a U.S. state) in southwest Burundi was previously served by the Kibarazi River, a muddy stream most of the year and part of the Congo River watershed. This small river and other seasonal pools were shared with livestock and wildlife. Waterborne diseases such as schistosomiasis, bacterial or protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, dengue fever, and malaria were all too common.
Building sustainable water systems breaks the cycle of poor health and poverty. The fact is, that preventable, waterborne diseases are still a leading cause of death in Burundi.
Clean water means clear futures for Mugano Colline residents whose young people can pursue education while their families can devote more time to farming and other economic activities to strengthen their community’s long-term resilience. Access to clean and safe water for their daily use ensures environmental, economic, and social health, an important legacy of sustainability that is built into each project.
Project Overview
Construction dates: September 2026 - December 2026
Located in Murangara Colline
Scope: 2.900 km pipeline
1 storage tank
3 tap stands
Employees: 45 workers including masons and plumbers
Serves 900 residents
Project Schematic
HOW IT WORKS
Water is captured from a source before it can become contaminated. It is filtered in the collection chamber and flows onward. Entrenched PVC pipe carries clean water to tanks and to multiple water tap stands.
Tap stands are strategically positioned within easy walking distance to schools, churches, community centers, and other central locations to maximize access points for residents. Water is available at no charge to all people regardless of the person’s tribe or religion.
Follow our progress on Facebook and Instagram for the most up-to-date details.
Clean Water & PLACES THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER
Access to clean water affects more than what happens at home. It supports the places where people gather, worship and participate in daily life.
The Mwivomo–Murangara system will bring clean water closer to approximately 900 people, including 120 members of Murangara Pentecost Church. Instead of traveling miles across challenging terrain in search of water from unreliable sources, clean water will travel miles to reach them.
Bringing water closer means shorter, safer journeys and less time spent collecting it. It also means reliable clean water becomes part of everyday life—in the places where people live, gather and worship.
Our Process
Our project manager in Burundi oversees every aspect of the project from purchasing supplies to the transportation of materials and tools to the job site to hiring workers, construction, testing, and handover of the system to the beneficiary community upon completion. Discover a comprehensive look at the engineering and steps donors like you make possible. >>
Our team in the United States is in regular contact with the project manager to verify that construction is on time, and on budget using reports, photographs, GPS, and receipts. Our team documents GPS coordinates of each component of the water system.
Construction Updates
Jean Bosco Ndabaniwe, our onsite project manager, will report regular updates on the project. Those updates will be posted here. Along with photos, GPS coordinates.
INTERIM PROJECT UPDATE: 1
Progress on the Kabuki-Mwurire Water System is well underway. Jean Bosco Ndabaniwe, our project manager, reports progress is moving along well. Milestones completed as of October 12, 2026, include:
Source catchment is complete
Collection Chamber is complete
Digging trenches is around 2km
Connection of pipes is around 1.2km
JOIN OUR MISSION
This project was funded by a generous supporter, Alvin Chee, who invested in a complete water system in honor of his parents. His meaningful gift will provide permanent access to clean water and will change the lives of the people in this community for the better.
Our next water system depends on you! Help us give the gift of clean water to those that need it most.
